This book was inspirational as the author told everything he overcame after his accident. You could feel his frustration at times but also share the strides he made as he accomplished things he wasn't sure he would ever be able to do again. I enjoyed it and would recommend the book.

This book is truly raw insight into someone’s journey with a traumatic brain injury. It isn’t too emotional but is a wonderful resource for the families of someone with a TBI to inspire hope as well as understand the daily concerns of someone in this situation.

I would have loved to be able to direct the families of patients to read this book when I worked Head Trauma Rehab. It is written by someone who has been there and worked hard to come to terms with the changes the damage has made. Jim details all of the hard won progress and the interdiscipinary team who worked with him to get to where he is now. Beyond that he goes into the kind of acceptance that must come with irrevocable changes the move on with the determination to be the very best that he can be in spite of those changes.
I won this book in a LibraryThing Giveaway from Rootstock Publishing. We win! ( )

I was interested in reading Jim Barry's book because I myself experienced a TBI and have my own story to tell about my recovery. I think anyone who has had an injury or loves someone who has had one should read as many recovery stories as possible. Each and every story will be different because each person is injured and healthy in differing ways.

For me it was my non-visible functions that were broken - memory, facial recognition, finding words to speak etc. I could walk just fine, had only recurring headaches and dizziness for the outside world to see. In a lot of ways that made it harder because people didn't see me as "sick", they didn't see my struggle for recovery. I looked perfectly fine. For a long time I tried to convince myself I was perfectly fine.

For Jim Barry his body was ravaged while his mind stayed sharp - a different kind of battle ensued. He will never physically be the same even though he works at it every day. His struggle is obvious to those around him which gives him a benefit in one way - he doesn't have to PROVE he was injured - but it can make people uncomfortable in his presence, a totally different kind of loss that adds to the pain.

The one thing that hurt this story for me was the fact that Jim was able to get a lot of good care due to his generous financial resources. I think people who do not have those resources may be frustrated by what they CAN'T get to help themselves and it may discourage them. I know I found myself saying several times, "Well if I had had the money to get the help he did maybe I'd have gotten better." Some people will not get past that thought and will miss anything the story could teach them.

I do still think anyone in recovery or trying to help someone in recovery should read as many stories as possible. You never know when you will learn something of value. ( )

The story of Jim Barry who suffered a devastating fall from his bike that fractured his skull and transformed his life. I felt a connection with Jim in a couple of ways, being a cycling lover and fellow Wisconsin native.

Most of us as we age will probably encounter health trials and challenges. It is usually part of the process. In Jim's case his life was literally turned upside down in an instant. His story here relates to all he has endured since his accident and how his life today is still challenged daily much more that most would want to tolerate.

The narrative is detailed and quite descriptive in how he manages from day to day with the enumerable changes that have been brought to bear upon him. At times it gets a bit bogged down in the detail and probably relates to his being an engineer and an inclination for such. Yet it does not diminish the message for resolve and fortitude it takes for him to cope. And this is the real message I believe he is conveying here. The will to carry on. And we all can benefit from that message.

He does touch on some of his personal viewpoints on such things as religious belief and his thoughts and feelings of his condition. But he does spare us a lecture and portrays a dignity in coping as best he can and just maybe an inspiration for those going through difficulties or facing them for the future. Kudos to Jim Barry showing his path. ( )